Three Ex-Wharfingers Make It To Drama School This September!

There are a lot of reasons to join Wharfingers – having fun and making new friends are high on the list. By the time you leave, you know much more about the practicalities of stage craft and theatre as an art form – and you are likely to have gained significantly in confidence too.

For a few, the theatre becomes so much a part of life that they want to make a career of it. This year, three ex-Wharfingers have made it into top drama schools. From September, Stefanie Appleton, Nikki Pocklington and Greg Skipworth will be starting degree courses at three of the ‘Big Five’ theatre schools. Quite an achievement, given the fierce competition, as literally thousands  of people apply each year for just 20 – 30 places on each course, some students coming from across the world to vie for a place at one of these recognised schools of excellence.

Along with RADA, LAMDA,  Mountview and Bristol Old Vic, East 15 Acting School is an establishment with just such a reputation and this is where Stefanie Appleton will be studying for the next three years. Stefanie is enrolled on the BA Acting Course and thrilled at being accepted.

“I just can’t imagine doing anything else,” says Stefanie. Her love of acting began when she joined Stagecoach in Grimsby as a young teenager and was chosen to appear in a professional show with Calibre Productions. From there, she joined Wharfingers and has also been cast in several Playgoers’ productions over the past few years. When she began her ‘A’ Levels at King Edward VI Grammar School in Louth, she joined Edward’s Theatre Company and this year will mark her third Edinburgh Fringe with them. On her return, she is almost straight into a week’s tour with Hambledon Productions in “Stop! You’re Killing Me”, a comedy written by up-and-coming young playwright, John Hewer.

For Nikki Pocklington, musical theatre has always been her first love, so she was delighted to be accepted at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts – the very first audition she attended! Nikki performed on the Playgoers’ stage at the age of 9, when she played in the panto. She came up through Saturday Morning Drama Club, where she has more recently helped to teach, and progressed to Wharfingers and Edward’s Theatre Company. She too will be going to Edinburgh in August.

“You learn the simple, but fundamental skills that stick with you forever,” claims Nikki, who believes that she owes much to those who have taught her. Nikki feels her greatest achievement so far is her role as Princess Jasmine, in a professional production of Aladdin in Cleethorpes, which she secured last season.

Greg Skipworth’s debut with Playgoers at the age of 10 was in ‘Babes In The Wood’ and, three years later, he was one of Wharfingers’ first members. Although he has enjoyed being on stage in several Playgoers’ productions in recent years, backstage is where he sees his future. Greg has secured a place at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic, where he will shortly be studying Professional Stage Management at degree level. A familiar face backstage in many a Playgoers’ musical, Greg has also been ASM in three plays. He is really looking forward to starting his course.

“It is basically stage management, but includes other aspects of the theatre, such as lighting, sound and costume,” explained Greg. “It also includes TV and radio, which will be completely new for me and very exciting.”

Greg is part of the stage management team for “Stop! You’re Killing Me” and is also Stage Manager for a fundraising show called “Nikki and Friends” in which Nikki and Stefanie are performing on Saturday 30th June 7.30 at Playgoers Riverhead Theatre. Nikki would like to thank Playgoers, who have helped to make this production possible.